Well, considering my age (50), and that I broke my leg last Dec 22, 07 ... I'm happy to be back up to where I was last year. Not what I had hoped for my first year playing Pro Grandmasters ... but heck, it could be worse. I was 903 last Nov, 904 this Nov. My last tourney had a couple of 929 rounds and I played my best round this year (that was a 996 rated round). I plan on good things next year! Now I have some work to do.

Rating are cool. We are very lucky to have them and we owe their existence to Chuck Kennedy and Roger Smith and the many hours (hundreds, thousands??) they have put into the process. For Pros over 970 they are only bragging rights but to everyone else they are divisionally restricting. Prior to ratings, the sandbagging issue was an even greater concern in the Amateur divisions. Now it is hard to take much issue with any Amateur who chooses to play in the division the PDGA says they belong in.

Ratings are like report cards in school and can produce all the same emotions. For me ratings are a dose of cold reality splashed on my perceptions. If you asked me whether my game has improved during the last 7 years (since ratings were published) I would say yes because it feels that way to me. But evidently the truth is : Not by much. My ratings have been in the 960's or 970's for every rating period.

I think my putting and upshots have continued to improve. If I am right then my driving must be deteriorating. It seems like I have lost a bit of distance. Or maybe certain trees have grown larger and higher so well known holes just play longer.

One aspect of the ratings strikes me as a bit off. Ok, I am nitpicking here, but my worst rounds count against me in the ratings computation. Other players worst rounds are dropped if they happen to be bad enough.

Part of a rating should consider consistency. But the current system gives a free pass if a round sucks enough. Ok, fine, then I should get a free pass on whatever my worst round was as well. I have played some terrible tournament rounds. How they failed to be 100 points below my average is shocking to me (that is the standard isn't it?). I did everything I could to suck so the ratings Gods should smile mercifully upon me.

Oh, and there should be the "lefty" factor as well. Anyone who throws predominately counterclockwise drives (lefty backhand or righty forehand) has to overcome the constant bias of course designs which favor the righties. I know you righties think there is no such bias. That is exactly why so many courses suck. Because most righty players (and righty course designers) are incapable of even seeing a shot through the eyes of a lefty.

Even if my play may be getting old and feeble, certainly my complaining skills are going strong.

One aspect of the ratings strikes me as a bit off. Ok, I am nitpicking here, but my worst rounds count against me in the ratings computation. Other players worst rounds are dropped if they happen to be bad enough.

Part of a rating should consider consistency. But the current system gives a free pass if a round sucks enough. Ok, fine, then I should get a free pass on whatever my worst round was as well. I have played some terrible tournament rounds. How they failed to be 100 points below my average is shocking to me (that is the standard isn't it?). I did everything I could to suck so the ratings Gods should smile mercifully upon me

The more consistently you throw, the less likely poor rounds will be included in your rating. Most players at 970 ratings are more consistent than those around 900 or 850. A 970 player is more likely to have a round 70 points below their rating dropped (2.5 standard deviations) than a 900 or 850 player. The 900 or 850 player is more likely to shoot a round more than 100 points below their rating and get it dropped regardless of their standard deviation. But I think those players would still prefer to have the "disadvantages" of a 970 ratng ;-)

im happy with my ratings update. im not a current member and havent been fora few years. for some reason they started updating my ratings :) went from a 955 when they werent updating to a 985 before this one. now im sitting at 1004 which isnt too bad. also got a personal 1074 rated round :)

I am currently 891, and this is my first year as a PDGA member. The only sanctioned event I played in was Worlds this year, out of 7 rounds, 4 were 901-931, 2 at 849, 1 at 880. Not my best play that week but all things considered 891 is where I stand. Hopefully It will only get better.

I am currently 891, and this is my first year as a PDGA member. The only sanctioned event I played in was Worlds this year, out of 7 rounds, 4 were 901-931, 2 at 849, 1 at 880. Not my best play that week but all things considered 891 is where I stand. Hopefully It will only get better.